Who is this choice relevant to?

Buyer comparing sugar content

You’re looking for egg cakes for the office and want to compare the amount of sugars per 100 g. For you, a description such as wholemeal doesn’t replace the nutrition table.

Buyer keeping an eye on fibre

You’re considering a wholemeal egg cake for the biscuit tin and comparing fibre content, without assuming that the variety also contains less sugar.

Person in charge of a shared biscuit tin

You’re buying for colleagues and want the current allergen information to be easy to access. The number of cakes, portion size and storage instructions also matter.

What should you look for when choosing?

If sugar content is your main criterion, start with the nutrition information per 100 g. Then decide whether fibre or sharing and storing the cakes at work matters more to you.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Amount of sugars Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Don’t treat a lower figure as proof of a reduced-sugar claim. If I want to offer less sugar, I want to compare products on the same basis. Around 42% of consumers put the sugar figure first.
Fibre and wholemeal Check both the amount of fibre and the amount of sugars per 100 g; wholemeal on its own tells you nothing about the difference in sugar content. When choosing a wholemeal option for the biscuit tin, I consider the fibre figure more important than the lowest sugar figure. Around 33% of consumers give fibre priority.
Sharing and storage Check the current allergen declaration, number of cakes and storage instructions. Keep the product information with the shared biscuit tin. When I’m buying for colleagues, I want everyone to be able to see which ingredients and allergens are in the cakes. For around 25% of consumers, managing the shared biscuit tin matters most.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming wholemeal means less sugar

    According to Albert Heijn’s nutrition information, both regular and wholemeal AH Eierkoeken contain 31 g of sugars per 100 g. The wholemeal variety does contain more fibre: 3.5 g compared with 1.4 g per 100 g.

    When choosing between regular and wholemeal egg cakes, compare sugars and fibre separately per 100 g.

  • Calling a lower sugar figure a nutrition claim

    A difference between two products does not, in itself, support the description ‘reduced sugar’. The European Commission states that nutrition claims are only permitted if they appear in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

    When buying, use the actual amount of sugars per 100 g. Before repeating any claim, check it and its conditions against the current product information.

  • Putting cakes in the tin without allergen information

    With a shared biscuit tin, colleagues can’t check the ingredients and allergens if individual cakes can no longer be linked to their packaging.

    Keep the original packaging with the cakes and check the allergen declaration for the variety you’ve bought.

  • Comparing packaging size alone

    A pack with more cakes doesn’t tell you how much sugar an egg cake contains. For example, Lidl lists Sondey egg cakes as a 360 g pack containing 12 cakes; you’ll also need the nutrition information to compare sugar content.

    Before comparing these egg cakes with other varieties, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g on the packaging in store.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn provides nutrition information for regular and wholemeal AH Eierkoeken.

  • Both varieties list 31 g of sugars per 100 g; the wholemeal variety lists 3.5 g of fibre and the regular variety 1.4 g per 100 g.
  • Based on these figures, the wholemeal variety isn’t an option for less sugar. Albert Heijn recommends checking the current packaging, as product information can change.

Jumbo

Jumbo sells regular and wholemeal egg cakes, among other options; compare the nutrition information for each variety.

  • Jumbo Eierkoeken 4 Stuks lists 29.5 g of sugars per 100 g, the lowest figure among the four varieties compared here.
  • Jumbo Eierkoeken Volkoren lists 3.9 g of fibre and 33.6 g of sugars per 100 g. So don’t choose the wholemeal variety solely because you assume it contains less sugar.

Bolletje

Bolletje describes its Brosse Eierkoek as an egg cake sprinkled with sugar.

  • The product information helps you distinguish this version from a regular egg cake.
  • A sugar topping doesn’t indicate lower sugar content. If you’re considering this variety for the office, check the nutrition information and allergens on the packaging.

Lidl / Sondey

Lidl lists Sondey egg cakes in a 360 g pack containing 12 cakes.

  • The stated number of cakes helps you plan shared supplies.
  • Use the nutrition information on the current packaging to compare the amount of sugars per 100 g with other egg cakes.

Egg cakes at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Do wholemeal egg cakes automatically contain less sugar?

No. According to Albert Heijn, both AH Eierkoeken and AH Eierkoeken volkoren list 31 g of sugars per 100 g. Jumbo lists 33.6 g per 100 g for its wholemeal variety and 29.5 g per 100 g for Jumbo Eierkoeken 4 Stuks. So compare the figures for each variety.

How do I compare packs containing different numbers of egg cakes?

Compare the nutrition values per 100 g; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this basis when comparing products. Then check the number of cakes and portion size to work out how the pack will fit into your office supplies.

Can I describe an egg cake with less sugar as ‘reduced sugar’?

Having less sugar than another egg cake isn’t enough to justify that nutrition claim. According to the European Commission, only nutrition claims listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 are permitted, subject to the relevant conditions. When buying, it’s better to describe a product by its sugar figure per 100 g, unless you’ve checked the claim and supporting evidence for that specific variety.

Which allergens should I check for a shared biscuit tin?

Check the allergen declaration for each variety you buy and keep the packaging with the cakes. The product information for the AH, Jumbo and Bolletje varieties mentioned includes allergens such as egg, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya; the exact declaration varies by product.